Method for improving the quality of sperm for artificial insemination of animals

Abstract

A method and composition for artificial insemination. The method involves artificially inseminating the subject with sperm, wherein the sperm is combined or coadministered with an inhibitor of phosphodiesterase and preferably a soluble salt of an earth alkaline metal. The composition comprises phosphodiesterase inhibitor or a functional equivalent thereof, a soluble salt of an earth alkaline metal and sperm. The method and composition reduce the recruitment of polymorphonuclear neutrophils.

1. A method for artificially inseminating a subject, said method comprising:
 obtaining sperm;  
 obtaining a composition comprising an inhibitor of phosphodiesterase and a calcium salt;  
 mixing said sperm with said composition, thus producing an inseminate; and  
 administering the inseminate to the subject.  
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the inhibitor of phosphodiesterase is selected from the group consisting of caffeine, theophylline, theobromine, isobutylmethylxanthine, other xanthine based compounds, papaverine, and combinations of any thereof. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein an amount of the inhibitor of phosphodiesterase comprises up to 10 mmol per liter of said inseminate. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a concentration of the calcium salt comprises up to 10 mmol per liter of said inseminate. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the calcium salt comprises calcium chloride; and  
 a concentration of the calcium chloride comprises an amount of about 0.1 to 8 mmol per liter of said inseminate.  
 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the subject is a mammal or a bird. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the subject is a pig. 
     
     
       8. A method for reducing phagocytosis of sperm in a female genital tract, said method comprising:
 obtaining sperm;  
 obtaining a solution comprising an inhibitor of phosphodiesterase and a calcium salt;  
 admixing said sperm with said solution for inseminating a subject.  
 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the inhibitor of phosphodiesterase is caffeine. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the calcium salt is calcium chloride. 
     
     
       11. In a method of artificially inseminating a subject with an inseminate, the improvement comprising admixing a phosphodiesterase inhibitor and a calcium salt with the inseminate, wherein the inseminate comprising the phosphodiesterase inhibitor and the calcium salt is capable of inhibiting phagocytosis of the sperm as determined by a phagocytosis assay. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the phosphodiesterase inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of caffeine, theophylline, theobromine, isobutylmethylxanthine, other xanthine based compounds, papaverine, and combinations of any thereof. 
     
     
       13. A method for artificially inseminating a subject, said method comprising:
 obtaining an inseminate consisting essentially of sperm, an inhibitor of phosphodiesterase and a calcium salt; and  
 administering the inseminate to the subject.  
 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the phosphodiesterase inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of caffeine, theophylline, theobromine, isobutylmethylxanthine, other xanthine based compounds, papaverine, and combinations of any thereof. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the inseminate is capable of inhibiting phagocytosis of the sperm as determined by a phagocytosis assay. 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the inseminate is capable of inhibiting phagocytosis of the sperm as determined by a phagocytosis assay.